Teaching ScienceIdeas and help for trainee Science teachers

Here are a few ideas taken from some of the talks I have given this year for ideas on using your Interactive Whiteboard during lesson starters. They could also be used as plenary tasks. Some of the ideas you will have seen before in various places, but I’m bundling them up into one file.

Here are some of the activities that are in the file:

Organ Reveal : A student comes to the board and pulls out an organ. They then have one minute to talk about the organ and its role in the body without repetition or pauses…. I’ve also included the fishing rod and balloon activities from previous presentations.

Put it in the box : This activity makes use of the layer feature. One group will go into the box, the other group will not go into the box. Drag the insects into the box….

Keyword Bingo : Pupils use a selection of words to create a bingo grid on a piece of paper. Teacher can then reveal definitions at random. Cross it off the grid and see who can get three in a row and a full house.

Plenary Circle : Simple idea, but can be used at all key stages. Pull in pairs of words to make “I know that…. ” sentences. If you have a more able group, you could leave one word in for the next pupil to use in their sentence – this means you have to think more carefully about the range of words you put around the edge of the circle.

Word Builder : How many words can you make that relate to science. Give everyone time to make as many words as they can. Students can come to the board to show examples of the words they have made.

Use the links below to download a version of the file for your whiteboard:

Promethean ActivInspireVersion : Download here

Smart 10 Version : Download here

If you use the files, I’d love to hear how they went. If you do adapt them, please let me know what you did – I’d be interested in having a copy.

A quick link for a Sunday afternoon. If you are looking for inspiration for your next classroom display then you really should take a look at the Display Photos website. There are great ideas for all subjects, including science.

Created by Mark Warner who also runs the brilliant Teaching Ideas website, it’s well worth taking some time to browse through the ideas and see if any inspire you to try something different next time!

Don’t forget, this is the perfect time to get your plastic bones and skeletons – the shops are full of halloween stuff!

Science by Email looks like it could be a handy resource to keep an eye on:

“In recent years, Science by Email has produced a diverse range of science activities for subscribers to try at home or in the classroom. You can access them via this archive.”

You can also subscribe and have science ideas emailed direct to your inbox. The list is aimed at teachers in Australia, but anyone can join the mailing list.

Another service worth joining is Ictopus, which provides a weekly email of useful lesson ideas for Primary Teachers, for all subjects. It’s free to register, and you get access to the entire archive of past resources.

Here’s a fantastic set of ideas for teaching Science with fun, engaging practical lessons.

These resources are designed to make primary science teaching fun for everyone, including the teacher! They are easy to download and free to copy for use in the classroom. No special equipment or skills are required for any of the lesson plans or demonstrations. New stuff is added regularly.

Some great ideas here for whole lessons and teacher demonstrations.

Head along to the Surfing Scientist and find out more!